Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-04-28
independent Life VS.. Official Life.

A man starting out Oh the voyage of
life has been compared to vessel of
war leaving port under sealed orders.
He knows not, but as the ways of
Providence are disclosed, to what ports
he must go Or on what seas he must
sail. In looking about among the cir
Gle of our acquaintance, we are sur
prised to see how few have made the
voyage successfully, and we often ask:
why is it that SO many men who en-
barked, freighted with precious hopes
and launched with streamers flying,
have fouudered, or at least, who, when
they take passage for that "undiscov-
cred country" leave little to those who
come after them but sad examples
failures. Indeed, the starting point
makes many a mans career a fine SUBJ
ject for betting-if there were any gen.
tlemen given to that amusement. Is
this because we do not properly appre-
ciate genius or talent? allow it to
"waste its sweetness on the desert air."
Perhaps 30; but do we not find that
in the majority of cases the ill-success
may be accounted for by the fact that
these men were not suited to the CALI
ing which they followed? In other
words, there are too many men guided
by a false ambition, a love of notoriety,
seeking official life.
once heard an indulgent parent say
to his son when he asked for collegi-
ate course,"Yes If you promise to study
diligently, will give you an opportu-
nifty of making a gentleman of your
self; If you do not, you may just be a
farmer. O.! that I could acquaint
that father and all others of his creed
with the fact that the majority of farm
ers have clear title to the much
abused term, gentleman, and that that
term is best pleased with its sur round
ings and rests with its mCst becoming
grace when applied to honest toilers.
Some People are so prejudIced as to
think it is only the ignorant and un-
learned who follow the avocation of
farming. How inconsistently false. In
all times philosophic minds have been
attracted by the mysteries of vegeta-
ton, and have sought to explain them,
but 1t is only since the beginning of the
present century, since all the PHYSICAL
sciences have so wonderfully develop
ed, that it has been possible to form
any adequate idea of what is in the
process Of vegetable nutrition. Sir
Humphrey Davy investigated the ele-
ments of the soil and applied the
science of chemistry to the improve
ment of agriculture, and here really be-
gins the progress of the art, for without
knowledge of the elements of the soil
agriculture could never have attained
the rank of a science.
This prevailing tendency to despise
manual labor has led to the usurpation
of all the different professions. In our
cities, and In many of the smaller
towns, we find numbers of quack doc
tors, pettifogging lawyers, etc.-men
who have joined that vast concourse of
fools who are following Fancy's bright
chariot, believing they will one day
ride and escape all the rugged roads
and stumbling blocks. There are too
many people trying to live without
work, and to this fact may be attribute
ed many of our modern evils. promi-
nent among which are cranks, dead |
beats and tramps.
Pope in his Essay on Man says,
"Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part-there all the honor
lies.o
1t would seem that the truth expressed